Affection
by Fandom Of One
Summary: While the Hak'tyl are temporary house guests of the SGC, Daniel runs into someone from the past and finds himself in an unexpectedly awkward situation. Story takes place within the SG1: S8 episode 'Sacrifices', is a follow-up to events that took place in SG: S7 episode 'Birthright.'


**This story takes place within the SG1: S8 episode 'Sacrifices.' It does follow existing canon, however, you may have to allow for a little bit of time advancement on the part of Nesa's age.**

 **I own nothing; I just enjoy putting Daniel in awkward situations sometimes.**

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Giving only minimal attention to the activity buzzing in the hallway around him- enough not to knock anybody over or find himself on the floor, anyway- Dr. Daniel Jackson rounded the corner into his office, his mind fully absorbed on the open book in his hand. Without missing a step he extended his right leg backward and caught the door with his ankle, flipping the page as he did so. Momentum swung it closed behind him with a heavy thud that was summarily ignored; it was an all too familiar routine for him. The other person in the room however, reacted swiftly and sharply- swinging around abruptly as if ready for battle.

The movement registered in his peripheral vision and he finally looked up fully, startled. Stopping short, he cocked his head to the side a bit and stared blankly, yet intently, at the girl who had been casually perusing the artifacts that littered his office. Her clothing gave her away easily as one of the young Hak'tyl women; he didn't recognize her at first glance... but then, there were plenty of them wandering around at the moment.

He couldn't imagine why one of them would be in his office though, maybe she had gotten turned around? It must be confusing to try to navigate the labyrinthine tunnels of the SGC under Cheyenne Mountain, especially when you were accustomed to living out in the open. Idly, he wondered if they would still be known as the Hak'tyl, now that they were being forced to evacuate the planet. He imagined so- a Jaffa pride thing, probably.

As she registered his entrance she relaxed slightly, quickly glancing away as their eyes met, the shy grin on her face face spreading. He gave his head a little shake and pulled his thoughts back together.

"Oh, uh... hello. Sorry if I scared you- I didn't realize anyone was in here," Daniel said, trailing off in a vaguely questioning tone, as he motioned back toward the closed door with one hand while marking his page with one finger of the other. He dropped the book to his side, its content forgotten for the moment. "Can I help you?" he inquired politely.

"Greetings, Daniel," she said shyly but excitedly, taking tentative steps toward him.

He looked at her for a moment, a puzzled notch between his brows as he tried to place her; she obviously knew him.

After a moment's consideration, an answering smile came to his face. "Nesa," he said slowly.

"You remember me," she beamed, obviously pleased, as she closed the distance between them.

 _Well..._ y _es and no,_ he thought to himself, though he kept the smile firmly in place. In point of fact, this was not how he remembered her at all; she was very obviously no longer a young girl. She looked to be about sixteen years old or so now.

"Yes, of course," he hedged. "How have you been?"

"Things are well, despite the current circumstances," she chattered excitedly, in rushed tones. "The relocation has been difficult but we owe our respect and gratitude to your people for aiding us yet again- without the tretonin, none of us might be here today." She inclined her head slightly in thanks, reminding him of Teal'c.

"Well now, I'm sure that's not entirely true," Daniel said, giving her an embarrassed kind of grin- he had always been a bit uncomfortable being singled out, especially on behalf of the whole planet. "The Hak'tyl are proud, resilient warriors with a wise and noble leader- Ishta would do whatever she needed to take care of her people," he continued in a reassuring tone.

"It is because of you that _I_ am here today," she said solemnly, looking him directly in the eye and holding her gaze on his. "I will never forget that."

Her direct gaze made him self-conscious; he didn't quite know how to respond to that so he just smiled and let her continue talking.

"Neith has begun training with me so that I may serve the Hak'tyl, and all free Jaffa, as my sisters before me," she stated eagerly with the almost unintentional smugness that the Jaffa had perfected.

He smiled in a bewildered manner, murmuring some vaguely encouraging sound at her statement, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why she had sought him out to tell him this. He was having trouble with the abrupt change of subject too, if he was being honest.

Before he could say anything, she continued with pride in her voice, "I am a woman now." There was an obvious emphasis on the statement, accompanied by another slight blush.

His eyebrows shot up at that declaration and he gave a little cough, the first bristles of awareness rolling through him. With the hair prickling on the back of his neck and his stomach suddenly coiling into a knot, he abruptly recalled the last time he had seen either of them.

 _"My sister seems to have developed quite an affection for you."_

Inwardly he groaned, hanging his head and closing his eyes briefly; not for the first time he wondered how he was so oblivious to signals from women.

Not that he could see her as a woman exactly. Unsure of just how to respond, he cast about for another, safer topic. Maybe, _hopefully_ , he was completely overreacting and she was just here looking for help with something, he thought, trying to fend off a mild panic.

"So uh, how are things?" he asked brightly, maybe a little too brightly, as he turned and hastily walked farther into the room, seeking sanctuary behind his desk. All of a sudden it seemed imperative to put a little space between them.

"I'm surprised Neith isn't with you," he went on, putting his book down on the desk and casting another cautious glance at the door, as if she would walk in at any moment.

Despite the questioning cadence of his statement, he wasn't actually eager to see Neith again. The memory of a charged staff weapon in the face was a little too strong to ever completely forget. Despite the truce they had come to before parting ways, he didn't even want to consider what Neith would do if she walked in to find her little sister behind a closed door with him.

The girl looked at him quizzically, as if she didn't understand why he was asking about her sister. "She is in council with Ishta, Colonel Carter and General O'Neill," she said, a hint of impatience in her voice. "I believe they are trying to determine what planet may be most suitable for the Hak'tyl."

She looked at him expectantly, obviously waiting for some kind of response. He jammed his hands in his pockets, not exactly sure what to do with them now that they were empty.

"So, uh, I hear Ry'ac is getting married while you're staying with us," he prompted, seizing on the first thing that came to mind. He winced inwardly as soon as he heard the words leave his mouth.

"Yes, that is so," she nodded in agreement. "He and Ka'ryn are very happy to be able to celebrate their union ceremony among our Tau'ri friends."

"Yes, it's very nice to be present for the ceremony," he said with a genuine smile. "I'm sure you're all ready to move on and get settled in your own new home though, wherever that may be."

"Of course," she said with a grave nod. "Most of us will move to the new planet when we depart this world."

"Most of you?" Daniel asked.

"Ry'ac and Ka'ryn will depart from here for S _him'roa_ and join us later," she answered.

Momentarily sidetracked by the Jaffa word he didn't yet know, he parroted, " Shim'roa? What is that?"

She colored slightly as she said, "Shim'roa is the highly anticipated time that a man and a woman spend alone together after the Rite of Everlasting Union. It is when they consummate their union and express their love in a phys-"

'Right... right. Yep, I got it," he broke in quickly, waving a hand in her direction and interrupting her before she could go on along those lines any further. "Got it," he repeated uncomfortably, the uneasy prickles back with a vengeance. He let out a self-deprecating little laugh and turned away from her, closing his eyes and mentally berating himself. _Great job, Daniel- and you're supposed to be able to talk your way out of anything. Hah!_

There was a long, somewhat awkward moment, then she stepped a bit closer to him. He had no choice but to face her and make eye contact with her once again. "I am of the age to marry now," she said tentatively, followed by a pregnant pause. "I had hoped to be able to celebrate among the Tau'ri one day as well." She colored slightly as she said it, and her voice was soft but did not quaver as she looked directly at him, the question implicit in her gaze.

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he gave his head another little shake, trying to process what she was saying. Had she just...? Too much time had passed; he'd forgotten how direct these Hak'tyl women were.

Feeling like a deer in headlights, he gave another nervous little laugh and held one hand up, opening his mouth to respond. He took a quick breath, then thought better of it and exhaled noisily, swiveling away from her as he regrouped.

Turning back around to look at her, he saw that her brows were knit together in confusion and she was looking at him expectantly, although she didn't seem to understand his reaction.

"Oh god," he mumbled, reaching up to fidget with his hair awkwardly, feeling even more trapped. And now, trapped behind the desk. The silence stretched on as she waited for him to respond to that, another quizzical look on her face.

"Look, Nesa..." he struggled to get out, as he shifted uneasily and gesticulated somewhat wildly, "I'm, uh, very glad that things are going well for you, and that you've reached, uh... certain milestones in your life, and I'm very flattered that you think... of me... that way, but the thing is-"

All of a sudden, there was a brisk knock at the door. "Daniel, are you in here?" he heard Sam call through the door. Without waiting for permission she turned the knob and opened it, walking in.

"Sam, YES, come in," he said loudly as he moved abruptly toward the door, looking at her as if he was a drowning man and she, a lifeline. "You remember Nesa?" he said, gesturing vaguely in Nesa's direction and then crossing his arms, turning away slightly as he fought the blush creeping up his neck.

Sam looked from Daniel's pallid face to Nesa's perplexed one and back again, noting the dull flush beginning to creep up the sides of his neck. He was extremely fidgety too, she noticed, even for Daniel. She'd obviously walked in on a tense moment; _well, for Daniel anyway,_ she thought to herself with a little smirk.

"Of course," Sam said with a big grin on her face and nodding in Nesa's direction. "Our meeting just wrapped up. Neith is looking for Nesa," she said, gesturing out to the hall. "She wondered if you might have seen her." Another megawatt grin in his direction. "And here she is," she said, looking at Nesa with a smile.

Nesa gave Daniel one last wistful look, which he assiduously avoided by busying himself with straightening piles on the desk.

"Thank you, Colonel Carter," Nesa said with a nod. "I will go to her now. It has been nice speaking with you, Daniel. Perhaps we may finish our conversation later."

She left, looking back at him with another bashful smile as she walked through the door. Daniel let out a relieved whoosh of breath, reaching up to rub the back of his neck as his eyes met Sam's. He could literally feel the blood pooling in his face as Sam cocked her head and looked at him with a knowing expression.

She was grinning from ear to ear, having correctly assessed the situation. "Sooo... how's Nesa?" she asked in an innocently teasing voice. "She's all grown up now, huh?"

Daniel gave her a pained look. "NOT funny."

For the sake of her friend, Sam stifled her laughter. "C'mon, let's go get lunch."


End file.
